Constellations
by blackwolfwrites
Summary: The stars in the night sky form shapes that have inspired various stories. Similarly, here is a place to collect the weekly one-shots I am writing from prompts given by friends over the hiatus. Contents are full of Starco goodness.
1. Chapter 1

**My writing friends have come up with an idea to write one-shots weekly based on prompts, and I decided to not let the effort go to waste. The theme was Relationship Thursday. Enjoy!**

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Skin

"So…what do we do now?" Marco noticed an odd look in Star's eyes at his question as she laid her head on his heaving chest. Without even saying it, he could hear her asking what he meant by that. The two lay in bed side by side, so close that they could feel each other's heartbeat as their own. It was yet another Relationship Thursday in the Butterfly Castle. Their private retreat from Star's Queen duties, which had brought so much upheaval to their young lives. It had been nearly two months since they had received the news of Moon's disappearance, and none of the numerous search parties all over the dimensions, or Star and Marco's own efforts had located the former queen. There were even talks of calling them off, but Star was determined to never lose hope even though she referred to herself as Queen instead of Acting Queen now.

In all of the turmoil, Marco had never considered what any of it meant for his future. In many ways, the roles they had occupied since he came to Mewni never changed. He was her squire, her lifeline, her confidant and advisor, her best friend, though there were new words tacked onto his list of titles. Her general, her cuddle buddy, her _boyfriend_. That last one was something he hadn't gotten used to yet. After spending long, agonizing months pining after the girl he loved while she dated Tom, it was hard to ever believe that a lazy afternoon with the two of them laying in Star's bed could ever happen. Their friendship went into such dormancy that it seemed dead at a point, but Star and Marco being themselves, found their way back to each other, helped along by a weird goblin and a rigged photo booth.

The squire turned to see Star shift under their thick blanket, so she could look at him. In the nearly couple of years since they had been in each other's lives, Marco had seen more than any other kid on Earth. He had seen a demon prom with a mystical moon, an evil monster in lawyer clothing obsessed over getting revenge for his lost finger, sixteen adventure-filled years flash by in eight minutes…the list went on and on. But nothing was as beautiful and incredible as his Star. The way her golden hair shimmered in the setting light of the sun like a river of fire. How her sky-blue eyes twinkled with awe when they looked at the world, speckled with mischief. The rosy blush that covered her heart-shaped cheekmarks when Marco caught her looking at him just a second too long. There was no other girl that could truly ever captivate his heart anew every second of every day like Star Butterfly.

Judging by the dreamy expression on her face, he could tell that she felt the same about him. Why though? He was just a boring Earth kid that had been made fun of for being too safe. There was a lot left unsaid about Marco's fate since she became Mewni's Queen. Was Marco…enough anymore? This was beyond being friends or knight and squire. Her last boyfriend, Tom, at least was a prince and had magic. Could Marco ever amount to anything?

"Something the matter?" she said with a sleepy yawn, though her eyes sparkled with the same energy he felt in his bones. Part of him wanted to fight enemies or engage in battle training but the majority of him wanted to curl even deeper into the blanket, reveling at how soft her skin was next to his.

Matching her gaze, he sighed, debating if he should drag her down into the morass of his self-loathing. _She'll think it's stupid_ , he decided against it. No need to ruin the moment. Star knitted her eyebrows together but shrugged before brushing her lips against his. Marco smiled, pulling her in for a deeper kiss and wrapped his arms around her slender waist as she leaned on him. There was nothing he craved more than her affection: her delicate touch from hands that could blast foes across a planet, kisses from lips that made orders with such direction.

When they broke the kiss, she smirked at him, "I bet that fixed what was wrong with you." He couldn't help but snicker at her jest. The room became silent with the two awkwardly staring at each other blushing profusely, until Star cut through with a comment, "See what you mean now…what should we do with the rest of the afternoon—the night is still young."

"Right," Marco sat up, shivering when the cold air hit him but laughing when Star, feeling the same, wrapped their blanket around her like a cocoon. What else could they do without leaving the room? They had exhausted all of the movies in their collection, plus it wasn't like they _actually_ watched them anyways. Looking at the laptop reminded them that "Bam Ui Pati" was on hiatus after a brutal cliffhanger about if the singer and the vampire could date in a society that said they had to be apart. _Can't believe the singer confessed her feelings and left before the vampire could answer about his_ , for some reason that scenario disturbed Marco greatly. Then they had their traditional fall back that came in the form of a videogame console and two colorful controllers.

"Videogame time?" They looked at each other and said in unison. Marco and Star still had no idea how that happened— those little moments where they were on such the same wavelength that it felt like their souls were bonded. Star flashed him an eager grin, her signal that it was time for a good game.

"Wanna do our go-to?" she asked, holding up their favorite game. Well, it was more her favorite than his—Marco wasn't one for racing games. How on Earth or Mewni his girlfriend was so good at Rainbow Turnpike was the ultimate mystery of the universe. It was the hardest track and the flashing lights were disorienting, but Star never faltered from first place. Maybe the game and her communicated on the same wavelength. With Marco already challenging his self-worth, he didn't need that kind of negativity in his life today.

Shaking his head, he grabbed another game of the pile on her nightstand: "Crash" a good fighting game. They were on even footing in that game, though Marco often edged out Star in his knowledge of secret combos.

"You're on, Diaz," she stuck her tongue out at him, grabbing her controller. Popping the disc into the console, Marco warded off the cold air by draping the blanket over him as he laid on his stomach. Star snuggled close beside him, already engrossed in choosing a fighter. He knew who she was going to chose before she even hit the button.

"You know I'm going with my second husbando," she selected her usual character: an anime boy with bluish spiky hair and a giant red sword. For some reason, watching her drool over how cute the lump of high-resolution pixels was rubbed Marco the wrong way. He was _way_ better looking and handled swords pretty well.

"Who's the _first_ husband?" he raised an eyebrow at her remark, still deliberating on if he wanted better speed or better attack today.

"Clearly, it's Tom and not the hot squire laying next to me," there was a hint of redness on her cheeks. Since when did he become her _hot_ squire? His abs were not back yet—not that he was working on getting them back or anything. If Star was going to use pretty boy today, then Marco needed someone heavier on attack because speed was his girlfriend's advantage. He picked a buff robot, not bothering on worrying about how a robot could have muscles and the fight was on.

Star was already inflicting damage on Marco with a chain of sharp jabs and slashed with her sword, while her squire was still formulating a strategy in his mind. The queen might be a natural fighter in real life, but in the game, she often fell back to using the same attack over and over which meant that she was somewhat predictable. All Marco had to do was find a pattern to her moves and use one of his overpowered laser blasts to knock her off of the arena. However, he miscalculated one thing—Star was mighty good at the three attacks she used regularly and already knocked him out.

Watching her dance in victory, he shook his head, "Not going easy on you because you're my girlfriend."

"Don't expect you to, Prince Boyfriend," Star launched another assault the second her reformed. Did she call him her _prince?_ She never called him anything but squire—which was his title, but in the throes of battle, there was no time to ponder such things. Marco shielded to save himself from losing critical health points while he charged up an attack. The second his protection gave way, he shot a blast but groaned when Star recovered from falling off the platform.

"Nice save," he said though he never took his eyes off the screen.

"Learned from the master," Star mashed the buttons fiercely, "Finally learned you have five jumps to save a life." The rest of the rounds continued at the breakneck pace from the fury of the two onscreen warriors. Both Star and Marco won and lost a few of them, leaving the final round tied between the two of them. It was time for all-out war! The squire threw all caution to the wind and tried to land any kind of blow he could to Star. The one disadvantage to her character was that he was low on defense, something Marco could exploit. He had her critically, ready to finish off with one blow when he noticed her eyes twinkle at him. This had been a setup all along. Star unleashed her character's secret attack that insta-killed Marco though he had nearly full health.

"AHA!" She threw the controller in the air when he arms shot up in victory. "I'm always winning battles."

"Have to hand it to you, Star, you're getting pretty good at this game," Marco patted her back before shutting off the videogame. This was so much more fun than when they had first started playing. Star used to die in less than a minute. The Queen was truly a fast learner at any kind of fighting. After a brief celebration, Marco noticed that his girlfriend sat in silence, staring down at the controller. That was odd behavior for her, especially after schooling him in a contest.

"Something the matter?" it was his turn to ask. When her blue orbs rest their gaze on his eyes, Marco could see the weight of a serious matter brewing in them. She sighed for a second, gathering her thoughts while he rubbed her back in support. If was about an issue in the kingdom or about Moon's whereabouts, he had her back. It was not only his duty as her squire but his promise as her best friend and lover.

She took both of his hands and began, "Look, Marco, so much has changed in such a short time. I'm Queen of Mewni now, and it's such a _huge_ responsibility to bear alone. So…I was thinking…" Her sweet voice trailed off there for a second before she said softly, "I think we should make things official."

He shot her a puzzling look, "We're already officially dating."

"Not that," she shook her head. "You help me _a lot_ with running things as my squire, but I was thinking that…I should make you my king." Marco's mouth dropped open and he nearly passed out in shock. Her _King?_ That was a ginormous step from being a lowly squire.

Star giggled in amusement at his reaction, "It doesn't mean that we have to marry until we're ready, but I do need a partner in my affairs. I can even have you just be my prince if king sounds too formal." His mind raced at a thousand miles and second, making it truly hard to register her words. She wanted him to help him rule an entire kingdom when he was just a fifteen-year-old kid from another dimension?

Then he froze. That was the problem. He was a nobody in a place that he still didn't understand. Star was a royal by birth and bloodline, destined to be Queen forever and Marco was a lowly peasant from Earth. He didn't have wealth like Rich Pigeon or prestige like Tom. How could he hold a mere candle to the glorious flame that was being a king? Maybe Star should have stayed with him…the squire's mind went there. There was nothing Marco had to offer.

He noticed the concern on Star's face when he didn't answer for a moment and he averted his gaze. "I can't do it, Star," he confessed solemnly. "I'm nothing but a commoner who couldn't even lead a successful campaign against Meteora. In fact, I'm not even worthy of being your squire or your boyfriend."

She blinked at him and he dropped her hands, shrugging the blanket over his head while he moped. Suddenly, the cover was yanked off and he came face to face with a very firm, Star Butterfly. "Marco," he had to admit, part of him melted whenever she called his name. "None of that is true. If anyone is worthy of being my king, it's you. You've always been by my side as my friend and squire. So, what if you aren't a royal by blood—I'm not one either."

"Wait, what?!" he gasped but she silenced him by laying her finger on his lips.

"Long story. Fill you in later," she brushed off that like it was nothing. She added more seriously, "As I was saying, Marco, you mean the universe to me. I wish I had told you that before you nearly lost your soul to Meteora or in that stupid booth. You are _plenty_ worthy of everything. C'mon Diaz, look at what we did today. I don't share my royal bed with anyone." She had a point there and he felt his face burn brightly from that factoid.

"Nothing to be ashamed of," she winked at him. "Yeah, being king is gonna be scary and confusing but I'm your queen. We can do this together—like how we always do things. Okay?"

He sighed, "Okay. Guess Mewni has to look out for Queen Star and her King Marco." He was knocked over on his back by her crushing hug and felt his spirits soar. This was a story for the ages—random high schooler crowned king of a whole dimension while still being too young to drive a car. When Star pulled away, the loving expression she had on her face when she looked at him made his heart melt. Was he ready for his new job? No. Was he ready to stay by Star's side forever no matter what? Always had been.

"So, what's the first order of business, my King?" she grinned at him. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing Star closer. Skin brushing skin.

"Enjoying the rest of this Relationship Thursday, my Queen."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey y'all, back with another one-shot! Also, for all you _Sign of the Moon_ fans, the first chapter of _Dance of the Stars_ , the sequel, should come out within the next two weekends. The main thing is getting past exams, but once that's done, expect weekly updates. **

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What's Different

The Forest of Certain Death formed a vast swath of untamed wilderness that was virtually untouched on Mewni. Mewmans were known for their pioneering spirit, as seen in how they conquered the monsters for land, yet this was one of the few places in which there was no sign of their influence. The darkness of the canopy of foliage above shrouded the ground in nearly perpetual night, broken only by dappled sunlight. Thick man-eating vines and flowers threaten to swallow whole anything that walked into them, and strange beasts lurked to kill and maim. Only a few souls were brave—or foolish—enough to come here for any reason. Yet none of the dangers dissuaded a certain young blonde queen, armed only with a backpack, from brazenly trekking through the woods. Nothing stopped Queen Star the Underestimated.

She paused for a second, surveying the endless green landscape while contemplating a matter on her creased brow. Could her mother truly be here? With the disappearance of Queen Moon Butterfly, Star was now Mewni's protector and ruler—a responsibility she had run from for many years. Even though the kingdom had moved on from Meteora's attack and the loss of their former queen, Star had not given up trying to find her. The other royals insisted that she should let go, but until there was any evidence otherwise, the teen never lost hope. Looking up to one of the few visible patches of sky, she sighed, begging the universe to give her a hint. The poor young queen had been out in the forest for days following endless cold trials. Star wasn't a quitter in the slightest, but not finding Moon ate at her resolve.

"Hey, Star? Are you alright?" A certain, worried voice made the teen smile to herself. Was there anyone as steadfast in his commitment to helping her as Marco Diaz? When she turned around, she saw her trusty squire struggling to free his foot from a stubborn tendril of bracken. The Forest of Certain Death was clearly the boy's least favorite place on Mewni, aside from a certain beach in the Underworld. Nevertheless, when Star's search for her mother brought her to the wilderness, he did not hesitate in volunteering to come with her. It was a wise decision since Eclipsa was still at large with her monster husband, Globgor, and Star traveling alone without her wand would leave her vulnerable. But deep inside, both parties knew that there was more to their loyalty besides duty and the bonds of friendship.

When the vine refused to let the boy go, he wordlessly begged Star to help with his eyes. _I could just stare into them forever_ , Star sighed lovingly. Shaking her head because her lack of movement made Marco stare at her in confusion, she strode to his side. "I gotcha, Marco," she tugged on his red hoodie with all her might. _This is a tough little fella_ , she grunted. There was no way she was losing boy-tug-of-war to a stupid plant!

With a huff, she finally wrenched her squire out of the undergrowth and the two fell backward on the ground with a spray of old, dry leaves. _What is laying on my chest?_ Star opened her eyes to see Marco's face only mere inches from hers with wide eyes. As if yanked from a cheesy romance novel, he had fallen conveniently on top of her. _Uh…_ they both blushed vividly, finding themselves unable to move.

"Star…" Marco breathed her name, lips quivering when she leaned closer to him. Was he going to kiss her again…?

The memory of the night when they were trapped in a photo booth played in slow motion. It was an awkward night of deep truthbombs and realizing the full extent of their emotional distance. Her own best friend had been avoiding going on silly adventures because Marco had feelings for her—the same ones she had for him. Still had for him even though Tom was her boyfriend. Perhaps now that the battle with Meteora and cleaning up Mewni were over, the truth was finally sinking in: Marco _loved_ her. _I love him too!_

"Marco…?" The same pull that drew her in for the kiss that night tugged on her soul…. Then, a twig snapped in the distance causing Star and Marco to scramble away from each other. She frowned seeing him shake off the moment like it was nothing, but it was her fault that he constantly put up walls. What was he supposed to think when, after confessing her love to him, she goes off and dates Tom? Talk about mixed signals! To be honest, she only did it because Marco never gave her an answer. But it was time to stop running from her feelings—just like her royal duties.

"So, let's think about finding a place to camp soon," Marco said in a steady, curt tone which made Star groan in slight annoyance. _I know you feel the same, Diaz_. Letting it go for the moment, she nodded at his suggestion and led the pair deeper in the forest. Thinking back on the photo booth night and the kiss, she wondered if Marco truly regretted the moment. She didn't, which probably wasn't a good thing. It was needed though to break down their stubborn lack of communication that existed despite being such good friends. How had they let things get _that_ bad between them?

"STAR!" Star paused in her tracks when he cried in panic. Just a foot in front of her was the drooling jaws of a hungry Mewnian Forest Dragon. _Oh, corn!_ Distracted hiking was dangerous hiking. She backed up a pace and instinctively reached for her wand before swiftly remembering that her go-to weapon was gone. _Double corn!_ She stayed rooted in place as the dragon lunged forward only to get beaten back by the flat of a katana blade. The smack to the jaw made it hiss.

Star blinked to see Marco stand confidently in front of her wielding his sword, more like a regal knight than a lowly squire. "Stay away from _my_ Star!" He roared at the dragon with such rage in his voice that it made the queen stagger back herself, speechless.

She was _his_ Star—a huge departure from friend or queen. When did Safe Kid become such a noble warrior on her behalf? It reminded her of when he suggested that she send him to meet Meteora. The confidence blazing in those chocolate eyes when he beat Star's magic spells….

"A little help here!" A frantic cry alerted Star that Marco was in danger. She turned to see him dangling from the dragon's mouth by the hoodie screaming.

"I'm coming!" The queen leapt high into the air and punched the dragon between the eyes, which made Marco's hoodie tear away. The boy fell into her arms and she held him bridal style for a moment while they stared at each other. It almost felt like there wasn't an angry fire-lizard trying to kill them, that is until it roared from a distance. Not dying was really important.

Marco climbed out of her arms and the two held hands in the shadow of the beast. "You know, I needed to practice wandless magic," Star flashed her partner a mischievous smile. "Let's do this, Marco!" She saw the excited glint in his eyes and they charged into battle.

Star summoned a ball of magic with her palms, blasting the dragon with it while Marco followed up with a lunge that stabbed the beast's knee. Screeching in pain, it sent a fiery attack towards the teens, but Star blocked it with a shield. _And without my Butterfly form too!_ She beamed with pride, holding onto her squire. When the barrage let up, the pair still remained in each other's arms for a moment, scarcely breathing.

"Why…does this keep happening?" Marco stammered. As Star was about to come up with a theory on their awkwardness, the dragon screeched at them flapping its wings menacingly. _We'll talk later_ , the queen let go of her friend.

They continued fighting with magic and weapons chaining attacks effortlessly. In a bizarre way, it was like Star and Marco were able to anticipate each other's moves and provide the right amount of back up. The young queen smirked when she saw him land a clean blow to the dragon's back. Fighting enemies was how they cemented their friendship twice: once on Earth when they first met and again on Mewni when they reunited. Having the Dream Team still operate seamlessly, made her feel the same joy she felt in their early friendship days. Before Jackie, before even her own feelings—when it was just Star and Marco doing their thing.

 _I want this feeling forever_ , she remarked after sending a wandless version of her Narwhal Blast hurdling at the dragon's head. No, that wasn't quite right. She wanted him by her side, but _closer_ now. _Maybe like my…boyfriend?_ The last word made her spine tingle. The question was how to gauge if Marco wanted that.

After a few more moments of fighting, the dragon slunk away with its tail in between its legs after a hardy Rainbow Fist Punch to the snout. If Star could fight this well, then living without her wand was going to be a cakewalk. Marco leaned against a nearby tree, panting, "What a fight! Haven't felt this great in ages!"

He straightened up and used his shirt to wipe the sweat off of his face, which gave Star a front-row view to the most wonderful sight she had seen all day. Marco's boy abs! _Must resist…booping_. She blankly stared at them as all brain function ceased, leaving her a drooling mess. They weren't his hot, thirty-year-old abs from Hekapoo's dimension, but they were _Marco's_ abs nonetheless. Was it her or did they actually grow a little bit since the attack on Meteora…?

"Uh, my eyes are up here, Star." She had to physically slap herself when Marco spoke to her. _Stop being thirsty over your squire!_ He just stared on, blushing ever so slightly while he rubbed the back of his head. Was he flattered that she liked his body? Shaking her head, Star recovered by saying, "I guess I'm just a bit tired. Let's set up camp."

Nodding in agreement, they split up the tasks needed to be done. Marco went out to gather water and firewood with his axe, while Star fumbled with setting up tents. When she had her wand, she would have just zapped the confusing network of poles and fabric into place and maybe added a little razzle-dazzle. However, being queen meant learning to make-do without it. After an embarrassing amount of time, she managed to conquer the forces of tent building. With her hands on her hips, she marveled at her work.

"I'm back!" Marco announced triumphantly, hoisting a bundle of wood under one arm and his axe slung on the other shoulder. Setting their fuel for the night down, he surveyed their sleeping arrangements with a frown. "Uh…Star, why is there only one tent?"

"What about it?" She furled her brow. Her backpack didn't have room for two tents with the other supplies Marco claimed they needed. When were emergency flares, bandages, and a compass going to be useful? Her dad used to take her hunting all the time and they never had more than the clothes on their backs. "Plus, we shared a tent during the Blowout Sale."

"But that was different!" He threw his hands in the air, his face getting heated.

"Any different than cuddling on Thursdays or sharing a bathroom while you showered, Diaz? What's different?" She regretted how sharp her tone became from frustration. Marco dropped his eyes and sighed bitterly. _Why does it have to be different?_ Star longed to say but held her tongue watching him look so torn.

Finally, he spoke in a hushed, pained tone, "It was different because…because those feelings weren't there. I'm just gonna sleep out here. Okay?"

She said nothing as the boy crawled into the tent and retrieved his sleeping bag to place near the firepit. The regret in his voice stung as much as watching him distance himself again. Did he not feel the same anymore? What if he did reject her advances? _You do you, boo_ , she breathed slowly, disappearing into the tent.

The very second she sat on her sleeping bag, contemplating what went wrong, the sky opened to release a fierce downpour onto the forest below. A load groan cutting through the torrent of rain from her friend made her giggle, and she turned to see that Marco had squeezed himself under the tent's narrow awning, shivering from being wet. His soaked brown hair was plastered to his forehead and his white shirt clung awkwardly to his frame.

"You can come inside, y'know," she teased him in a sing-songy voice. Instead of joining her, he sighed again and looked out into the gray, soggy forest. What a stubborn boy…she folded her arms, letting their awkward stalemate continue. Suddenly a clap of thunder shook the forest which made Marco launch himself into her arms. Of course, the shock wore off and he scrambled back to his previous position like nothing had happened with red cheeks. _What a cute dork_. It was not like she didn't notice his lingering gazes and willingness to be physically closer. It was time to close the gap, Star decided.

"You know, it's only as weird as you make it," she told him softly, her voice almost getting lost in the rain.

"But, Star," he hid his face in his hands, "I messed up so much! First your confession…and now I'm the reason you and Tom broke up…."

She blinked at that. So that was what had Marco upset. The breakup occurred a couple of days after the battle, though it was not a shock to either her or Tom. It truly was a long time coming, especially since Tom told her that Marco confessed about the kiss. Overall, it went peacefully with the two agreeing to be friends since that was best. To have Marco beat himself up over that wasn't fair.

Star silenced him by putting a hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met as she replied firmly, " _I_ am the reason Tom and I broke up. Not you. I should have been honest months ago, but, like a Star, I ran from my feelings."

"But I was the one that kissed you!" He curled into a tighter ball, hugging his knees. "I knew that I was your squire and that you had a boyfriend, but I wanted to get us out of there and it was wrong and—"

She grabbed a fistful of his damp shirt and pulled her ranting Marco in for a passionate kiss. Part of her was afraid he would pull away, but after a moment his body relaxed, and a gentle hand cupped her cheek. A few more passed before they separated, panting heavily from the rush of their first real kiss and the lack of oxygen. The rain continued to cascade around them like a watery curtain while they stared lovingly at each other, still holding hands.

"Your cheeks are glowing," Marco chuckled.

"Yours too," she blinked at the little white crescents that appeared from nowhere against his tan skin. Was that supposed to happen? _They look handsome on him_ , she swooned slightly watching them fade away. Then they melted into a deep embrace, savoring the feeling of their hearts racing against each other. She knew what it meant from his end—that he loved her. _And I feel the same_.

"Star…I'm scared," he whispered in her ear.

Hugging him tighter, she replied, "Don't be, Marco. I got you. We have each other, which is all that matters." They pulled apart with huge smiles from the weight of their drama finally letting up. It was time to move forward—preferably out of the cold rain too.

Motioning towards the inside of the tent, Star invited him inside and he followed. All of that fighting and tension made the young queen yawn from tiredness. Plus, if they were going to continue their quest, then sleep was a priority. She crawled into the sleeping bag and snuggled into its sea of warmth that made her body instantly relax. When she opened her eyes again, Star noticed Marco pretty much standing in the tent entrancing not moving one bit with a blank expression on his face. It hit her that his sleeping bag was drenched in the rain. That meant only one thing—cuddling time! Just like the old days but _better_.

"C'mon, Marco," she sang his name and beckoned him with a finger. "Sleep with me!"

Marco's face turned bright red with the cheekmarks even faintly glowing. "Language, Star…"

"What?" She shrugged. "I want you to sleep with me. I see no problem."

"Implications…"

"What implications?"

"I-it means something different on Earth…"

Then she thought about it. "Oh… _oh!_ " It was a bit too soon for that discussion. "Just get in this sleeping bag, Diaz. You're the one who went there." Who knew Marco was thinking about her like that…it would be good leverage in a few months. The boy sighed and crawled into the sleeping bag next to her while she cut off the lights.

Night was beginning to fall with the downpour trickling into a soft drizzle that drummed against the purple walls of the tent. With Marco laying beside her, Star went into full cuddling mode, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms and legs around his torso. Her squire was so pleasantly warm, yet he did not return her favor.

"Marco…" she prodded him. "Loosen up. It's no different than Friendship Thursday."

"Yes, it is," the boy insisted. "You're my…we're…"

"We're whatever we want to be," she kissed his cheek, watching him forget how to speak. "Love is whatever we need it to be. We were this close as friends, y'know. If you want me to call you my boyfriend, then I will."

"B-boyfriend…?" he swooned a little.

"I mean…I'm not with Tom anymore. Now, let's stop getting hung up on what we are and cuddle. We're ourselves on a weird kinda vacation quest thing." Marco flipped on his side to face her, wrapping his arms around Star to hold her close. The sappy smile on his face made her heart skip a beat. Never in a million dimensions did she think this moment was possible: she was in Marco's arms as his _girlfriend_. He kissed her forehead softly, settling into sleep.

"Goodnight, Star."

"'Night, Marco."

Above them, peaking through the gaps in the storm clouds, the Blood Moon shone knowingly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Long time, no see! I had a one-shot idea for an emotional Starco moment in "Tavern at the End of the Multiverse" that I had to do. For those of you waiting on Chapter 26 of _The Dance of the Stars_ , I promise that's coming, but enjoy this in the meantime!**

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Like Morning Follows Night

Star Butterfly sat alone under the dark sky, a little bit away from the Dragon Spit tavern. Behind her, strobe lights flashed, and laughter clamored into the solitary night. Acrid scents of strong cornshakes stung her nose along with pungent whiffs of body odor and greasy food. Her stomach growled at the thought of corn fries, but the blonde warrior refused to indulge in the good luck party being thrown in her honor. It was a complete departure from how Star usually acted. To her, a party with her closest friends was as alluring as a flame to a moth. It reminded her of the old Bounce Lounge days before they came to a swift end. _Those were fun nights_ , the nostalgic memory tugged a faint smile on her lips. Her mind flashed with images of dancing and photo booths.

But a sigh returned to Star as she shifted in the haystack she lay in, and her eyes drifted to the stars in the inky purple sky. Her silvery namesakes twinkled like spilled glitter around two crescent moons. Fixed and unchanging. Destined to trace predictable paths across the cosmos forever. Just like her. When the sun spread its yellow fire along the horizon, Star would be leading her ragtag army into Mewni to liberate the kingdom from Mina's tyranny. It went without saying that this act would change everyone's lives permanently. With the last threat to monsters gone, they could finally live in freedom alongside Mewmans. Star also knew there were talks of making her Queen—something she had spent most of her life avoiding like the plague. Was she ready to defeat a nearly immortal band of warriors and their crazed leader? Could she really take the throne? The questions rattled in her head, making her queasy.

In addition to the uncertainty of the endgame, Star had to deal with the fact that she was leading her friends into danger. And against magical freaks. As much she wanted to believe everything would go well, they were just a small, untrained force. She could lose everyone she ever loved. The thought made her curl into a ball, hugging her knees. _What if I lose Marco?_ Tears seeped through her eyelids. Just thinking about it for a second made Star dizzy. There was no way she could face life without him.

"Star?" As if on cue, she saw Marco standing in front of her haystack hideaway.

He had taken off his hoodie, which was tied around his waist, leaving him only in his "I'm a Hot Dawg" shirt. Seeing her in her frayed emotional state wiped the grin off his face. "Everything okay, Star? Tom is buying another round of cornshakes."

"I'm fine," she put on a brave face.

He studied her for a moment, then climbed in the haystack with her. Star buried her face into his chest, unleashing a torrent of tears into his shirt. A gentle hand caressed her back as she cried for several moments. Sniffling, she finally confessed, "I'm scared."

"I know," Marco held her tighter. "Me too."

She could tell by the heaviness in his voice and the way his grip tightened slightly that his fears were her own. Their eyes met briefly before lifting up to the stars. With her ear against Marco's chest, the festive sounds of the tavern were muddled by the sounds of his heart. She also felt his body expand with each breath in a perpetual rhythm of life. _What if it stops?_ Panic seized her soul in terror. Her mind summoned horrifying images of Marco laying still on the battlefield, covered in blood. She felt the coldness of his torn skin under her fingertips. The smell of death lingered in her nose.

"Star?" Back in reality, Marco shook her. "Talk to me—I can feel your heart racing."

"I have a lot on my mind," she began. "I have to save Mewni, find a way to defeat Mina, and then there's potentially this queen thing…It's just…" Her voice trailed away.

Marco nodded, "It is a lot. One minute, we're having an awesome beach day in Echo Creek, and, the next, we're caught up in this huge battle for the soul of Mewni. I thought we were going to finally have a quiet summer for once."

The wistfulness in his voice gave Star pause. Did he regret coming back to Mewni with her? She insisted that he stay in Echo Creek since the journey through the Realm of Magic was likely a one-way trip. Nevertheless, steadfast Marco followed her through it all: from losing their memories temporarily, to the hollow shell of the Butterfly castle, and, at last, the tavern at the end of the multiverse. "Do you want to go back?" Star asked. It would be a difficult undertaking, but Janna could lead him to the sanctuary.

Marco made a face, declining her firmly, "No, my place is by your side forever."

"But you might never go back to Earth and live a normal life. Marco, you realize if we win and I become queen, that'll make you—"

"—Your king," he finished her sentence. "I know. It's funny because I told Mr. Candle that I was thinking about being king of Mewni to expose Tom." The memory made them laugh for a moment until silence reclaimed the night.

They snuggled together, and Star mused over her thoughts before saying, "You're really willing to give up everything?"

"Are you?"

"Of course," her eyes flashed with determination. "These are my people, and I am choosing to help them and make Mewni better."

"Then so do I," he sat up and took her hands, facing her with a bold, steady gaze. "Star, _you're_ my everything. I'd never leave you alone to face Mina or being queen. No matter where you go, I'll follow you like morning follows night."

"And that's a problem," she replied sharply. "What if I lose you? We have to fight these giant Solarian warriors, and I love you too much to see you get hurt and—" She slapped a hand over her lips and blushed.

 _Did I just drop the L-word?_ Of course, Star had always felt that way about Marco. He meant the multiverse to her as her friend, confidant, and former squire. Recently, boyfriend and lover were thrown into the mix—a long time coming. The sudden change of their relationship was not a shock to anyone, except Tom. In fact, it was not a shock to Star herself. No one else was her home and her lifeline like Marco. That being said, confessing that to him was still weird. She saw his eyes grow wide like brown moons, reflecting the starlight in them. _He's so cute_ , she smiled, "Sorry, if that was a little weird, boo."

"Not at all," he laughed gently. "But Star, you know why I came with you? I know the dangers of fighting a war and being stuck on Mewni, and yeah, I know there's a chance this can all go wrong, but—" He squeezed her hand. "I love _this_."

She watched their fingers intertwine together, "Yeah, so do I."

"And I love you too." He tilted her chin to share a passionate kiss under the cosmos that was conspiring to keep them apart.

"Hey, Marco!" Tom's shout made them pull apart abruptly. "Are you and Star out here? We're about to play some ping-pong!"

"Coming!" Marco answered, and Star realized the pile of hay conveniently hid them from her ex-boyfriend. Things were better between them, but Tom was still weirded out by PDA. _He has no room to talk_ , Star smirked. Everyone saw how close the demon had become with Janna. The long gazes, the accidental handholding—it was only a matter of time before the two got together. _If they already aren't_ , she giggled.

Suddenly, a strange feeling rose in Star, causing her to tug on Marco's shirt when he tried to leave. "I don't know how to say this," she murmured. "But…I don't want you to leave me tonight."

Immediately, he settled back into the stack, "Yeah… I feel the same."

The future was still terrifying—both the immediate and far-reaching—but neither Star nor Marco worried about it. The night was theirs, and their hearts were in love forever.


End file.
